Sample Formal Speech Outline - What Is a Migraine and How Does It Affect People?

Sep 4, 2026

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Formal speech outline for an informational presentation titled “What is a Migraine and how does it affect people?” focusing on defining migraine headaches, explaining key symptoms, and distinguishing classic versus common migraine types. It outlines likely causes and theories involving blood vessels, nerves, and serotonin, then lists common triggers such as stress, lack of food and sleep, hormone and weather changes, and bright lights. The closing emphasizes impacts on daily life, workplace productivity, and perception.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose and audience engagement

Body

What a migraine is and key symptoms

Types of migraines

Causes and medical theories

Triggers and coping factors

Effects on work and productivity

Conclusion

Summary and audience reflection

Sample Formal Speech Outline Title: What is a Migraine and how does it affect people? Name: Steve Johnson General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform the audience on what a migraine headache is and how it affects the people who get them. Time: 5-7 minutes I. Introduction A. How many people in this class get headaches raise your hand? How many of you get them so severe that they disrupt what you are doing at the time? B. Those of you who raised your hand to either of those questions could suffer from migraines. C. I’ve suffered from them since I was in the seventh grade. I still get them quite a bit. D. Although the exact cause of migraines is unknown, they can become so severe that they disrupt your daily life. E. Things you need to know about migraines are what they are and their symptoms, what causes them, and how sufferers deal with them on a daily basis. Transition: The first among these points is what a migraine is and what the symptoms are. II. Body A. A migraine isn’t just any headache; it affects more than just your head. 1. A migraine is a throbbing headache that is usually one sided but can be two sided. The throbbing is usually accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light, sound, and smells, sleep disruption, and depression (National Migraine Association – “NMA”) . a. When I get a migraine, the slightest movements send my head banging and I usually get the sensitivity to light and sounds with a little nausea. b. Think of how you feel when you walk from a dark room to the outside where it’s really sunny. You react by closing your eyes because of that instant of pain while your eyes adjust. Now think of that, but 100% worse. c. The same can be said when going from quiet place to a noisy place. 2. There are two main types of migraines. a. One type of migraine is what is called the classic migraine. i. The main symptom with this type of migraine is that people get an aura. The aura is usually seen 10 to 30 minutes before your headache. They are usually flashing lights, zigzag lines, or spots of light. ii. They can experience speech difficulty, confusion, and weakness in the arms or legs. b. The other type of migraine is the common migraine. This migraine is just like the classic without the aura. i. This is the most common kind of migraine. ii. Mental fuzziness, mood changes, and fatigue are usually experienced the day or so before the headache starts. c. Both a classic and a common migraine can hit you as often as several times a week or as far apart as a few times a year. They can last anywhere from a few hours to one or two days. Migraines happen in more often in women then in men and can develop from age five to thirty-five. Transition: Now that we know what a migraine is and what the symptoms are we can start to understand what helps to cause them. B. The actual cause of migraines is unknown. 1. Evidence has shown that it could be changes in blood vessels, chemicals, and in your nerves in your brain that cause migraines (NMA) . 2. The main theory is that evidence seems to support is that it’s the dilation and constricting of blood vessels (NMA) . a. During the time before the headache starts the blood vessels in the brain get smaller and allow less blood to flow through. b. When the headache begins is when your blood vessels become dilated and more blood flows through. This stretching is what caused the headaches. c. Serotonin is thought to be a main cause of migraines. High doses of it are found before the migraine and low doses ofthis hormone is found during the migraine. 3. There are some triggers that doctors have been able to identify that cause migraines. a. Such things as depression, stress, lack of food and sleep, hormone changes, weather changes, certain foods and beverages, and bright lights. b. When I was first diagnosed with migraines they had me keep a food diary of everything I ate and when I got headaches. Transitio

FAQs

What is a migraine and how does it affect people?

A migraine is more than a typical headache; it often involves throbbing pain and symptoms such as nausea and sensitivity to light, sound, and smells, which can disrupt daily life.

What are the two main types of migraines?

The two main types are classic migraines, which include an aura before the headache, and common migraines, which resemble classic migraines without the aura.

What triggers can cause migraines and how can sufferers deal with them?

Doctors identify triggers including depression, stress, lack of food and sleep, hormone and weather changes, certain foods and beverages, and bright lights. Keeping a food diary after diagnosis is one practical approach mentioned.

Sep 4, 2026

Upload by Mia